In the past, belt conveyors have typically been used to convey bulk materials over distances of up to 20 kilometers. Such bulk materials would typically include coal, iron ore, bauxite etc. Transportation distances vary considerably depending on operational requirements but much of this bulk material is presently transported many tens, or even hundreds of kilometers to the processing plant, power station or export terminal. The choice of bulk handling system depends on the transportation distance, throughput and terrain, and in most cases will rely on belt conveyors, in combination with haul trucks and/or railway systems.
Increasing fuel prices and the need to lower greenhouse gas emissions, coupled with the increasing demand for minerals, has seen considerable pressure to maximise the efficiency and economy of overland bulk material transportation systems.
Belt conveyors being continuous, rather than a batch transportation system are used wherever they are technically and economically feasible. Additionally, with the demand for automated mining operations, belt conveyors have clear operational advantages. However, due to the inherent motion losses of transportation, the rolling resistance of a belt conveyor is greater than both trucks and railway. These losses effectively limit the operational length of conventional belt conveyors. If belt conveyors were able to transport more efficiently they could transport over longer distances due to reduced cumulative belt tension, and thus compete more favourably with trucks and even railway.
Belt conveyors are typically more economically feasible than trucks up to distances of 25 km, while in some instances this may extend up to 100 km. By comparison, railway systems tend to be more economically feasible for distances greater than 100 km, primarily due to the significant infrastructure costs.
There is therefore a need to provide a more energy efficient and cost effective method for transporting bulk commodities over long distances.